Riding high in second spot, with a game in hand on leaders Chelsea, Liverpool have made the ideal start to the new season, picking up back-to-back 1-0 victories in their opening couple of fixtures.

Sceptics will point out that those wins came against Stoke and Aston Villa, teams that finished 13th and 15th respectively last term and indeed, the weekend will offer more of a measure of the Reds’ progress given that they come up against champions Manchester United.

Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers’s charges are narrow favourites at 13/8 via Paddy Power to get the better of their bitter rivals, managed now of course by the former boss of their adversaries from across Stanley Park, Everton; a factor sure to add some extra spice to the occasion, as if any were needed.

United meanwhile, are 19/10 with BetVictor to have the edge, as they have done in the pair’s last three league meetings and it’s 12/5 courtesy of William Hill to finish all square – a bet that’s certain to attract a significant number of neutrals.

BetVictor rate the visitors at 12/1 to play out a second consecutive goalless affair at Anfield, where bet365 quote odds of 9/2 about scores being level at the end of each half while punters anticipating at least one goal will be tempted to back Dean Sturridge at 11/2 via betway to fire the opener, given that he’s done likewise in both of Liverpool’s matches so far (as well as bagging a couple in the League Cup on Tuesday), but he’s a better bet at 15/8 (Stan James) to notch at any time.